It’s A Good Time For Apple Pie

It’s apple season, and there’s nothing I love more than indulging in some homemade apple pie scented with just a hint of cinnamon and vanilla! For this recipe, I created a purely delicious shortcrust made from organic spelt and rolled oats. The spelt shortcrust is one of my favourites and I love the richness of the pastry as it provides a decadent texture when you bite into it.

What’s great about it:
Apples are high in fibre (around 5 g each) they contain both soluble and insoluble fibre which is great for your digestive system. The soluble fibre is known as pectin and the beauty of it is that it has the power to help lower cholesterol, keep you regular and stabilise blood sugar. Spelt is an ancient grain that is related to wheat, but has a lower gluten content so it’s kinder to the digestive system. Oats are a great source of soluble fibre and according to studies, the beta-glucan fibre found in oats can help regulate your appetite as well as help lower cholesterol.

Prepare the apple fillingQuarter the apples and remove the core.Cut each quarter in half and place into a large pot.Add the apple juice, vanilla and cinnamon.Place onto the stove over a medium heat.Cook, stirring every now and again until the apples start to soften and collapse. This should take about 15 – 20 minutes.Remove from the heat and drain any liquid from the apples if needed.Fold through the maple syrup or dried fruit then allow the apple filling to cool.

Make the spelt and oatmeal shortcrust.Combine the spelt flour and butter into a mixing bowl or a food processor.Pulse lightly until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. You can also do this with your hand by gently rubbing the flour and butter with your fingertips.
Add a little cold water to combine into a dough.
Coat the dough in rolled oats and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll 2/3 of the chilled pastry between 2 sheets of greaseproof paper to fit a 20 cm pie dish.Line the pie dish evenly and fill in any gaps in the pastry as needed. Spoon in the apple filling.Roll out the rest of the pastry and gently place over the apple filling.Seal any edges and cut a cross at the top of the pastry with a sharp knife.Sprinkle some oats over the pastry for decoration.Bake in a preheated 180 C oven for 45 minutes or until golden.Serve warm or at room temperature with custard or your choice of ice cream, yoghurt or coconut cream.Enjoy. Serves 12